A Thorn in His Side
by ThornManiaLilyCharliZorianna
Summary: A street urchin. A liar. A thief. Thorn was all of these. Until her time came to be a hero.  This is in my own little universe, so there! Sarcastic heroes and dark yet humorous adventures await you inside! R&R!  Rated T for  planned  violence later on!
1. Chapter 1

**New story! Sorry the chapter's so short... And yes, I changed it to third-person. I just can't write in first-person.  
**

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**Chapter 1**

_I cannot believe this guy,_ Thorn thought, pulling a hand through her short red hair.

"I told you, I'm gonna give it to you for fifty bucks, no less." She dangled the golden wristwatch in front of the man's face.

"Thorn, I said I was gonna give you thirty-five." The tall man looked down at her.

"Fifty, and I'll let you walk away with your face." The young teen pulled out a silver dagger with a engraved T.

He scoffed, "I'm supposed to believe that a twelve year old girl can hurt me?"

"Fourteen! And yes, you should." She held the dagger to his throat.

"Fine," He begrudged, throwing her the money, "It better be worth it." He grabbed the watch and ran.

"Sweet!" She stuffed the money into my pocket and walked out of the alley.

Taking some slummy shortcuts through the heart of Gotham, she was soon in front of the bakery. Fixing her boyish spikes, she walked in. The man at the counter looked up.

"No shoes, no service." Thorn looked down, staring at her mud-caked bare feet.

"I'll pay extra."

"Fine, whaddya want, urchin?"

"One loaf of soft bread."

He produced the bread, watching her warily, "Five dollars, plus extra."

She slapped a ten down, grabbed the bread and ran. Five blocks later, Thorn ground to a halt, staring at a bulletin board. A girl with big green eyes and neck length hair grinned at her from a picture with the name "THERESA WILLIAMS" printed above it. A missing notice was under it.

_Dumb orphanage, wants me back? Sucks for them. _

She tore the picture down.

"Theresa Williams is dead. She died when the murders happened. Now, it's just Thorn."

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**If you know a Theresa Williams, just FYI that I made my character's name. So I dunno.**

**Also, this story could go both ways. Could be a Batman or a Joker story.**

**Read & Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay. This is the second chapter, which I _finally_ got up. I didn't really get the tone right in the first chapter, so kinda plan on your mental images of my characters changing a bit. After all, you've only met Thorn! Also, I changed the original characters to sorta fit my story, so if they don't click right away, just wait. Oh, and this story kinda swaps between different styles, like third person from a person's view...So try to keep up.**

**I own nothing other than Thorn and anyone else I make up... Though I really want to own _all_ of the Batman characters... Anyways...**

Thorn walked back through the dank streets of Gotham, clutching her food close. She made it to an

alleyway nearby before noticing her best friend and accomplice, wrenching wheels from the Batmobile.

"Jason! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

The teen looked up from his work, "Hey Thorn! Look at this! It's the Batmobile! Can you imagine how

much we could get for these tires?"

"Jason Todd, you're gonna get so busted." She said, laughing.

"Maybe so, but it's worth a shot. Hey, is that food you're holding?"

"Yeah," She walked over to him, tearing a piece of the bread off, "Have a bit."

"Thanks." He leaned on the car, "All this work is making me hungry. You swipe the money for that

bread?"

"I stole the thing that got me the money, so… Yeah, kinda."

The ragged teen shrugged, "Eh, it's still money. Make you a deal. Help me with these tires, and I'll buy

you something in return.

"Return for the tires?"

"No, for this!" He ripped off half of the bread and retreated onto the hood of the car, inhaling the bread.

"Hey! That was mine!"

"Oh, you whiner. I promised I'd buy you something in return."

"God, you're rude. Gimme a wrench."

"It's a tire iron."

"Whatever!"

He tossed her the tool, and they made quick work of the tires.

"God damn it, how much work does he put into his car?" Thorn poked the tire she was holding, recoiling

quickly when her finger bent awkwardly against it, "Ow…"

"Wimp."

Neither noticed the figure that had just appeared.

"Unreal…"

Both jumped and looked up, "Oh, shit." They said in unison.

Thorn dropped her tire iron, and started to back away as the menacing figure took another step forward.

Her friend charged, "Thorn! Run!" He slammed his tire iron into the man's stomach, knocking the wind

out of him.

"You crazy son of a bitch!" She stood frozen.

"Grab a tire and run, damn it! I'll catch up!"

She did as she was told, turning on her heel, grabbing a tire, and running like a bat out of hell.

By the time she stopped, she was in the small, abandoned old home that she and Jason called home.

She waited, expecting him to waltz in the door any second.

But he never came, and she began to fear the worst.

Her friend was gone, and she would never see him again.

She was only half-right.

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**DONE!**

**Okayz folks, now you have to wait for my next chapter...Muahahahahahahaha!**

**Sorry if my attitude has offended you in some way, but it's my story, so I'm allowed.**

**And... CUT!**

**Great, time to get a frappichino.**

_**Review!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**_Sorry for the short chapters... Anyway, this one skips ahead a long time, and I wanted to make it count. This is a good one!_**

**Chapter 3**

Thorn went through her usual business for a long time. The money off the Batmobile tire lasted three months, a sure rip-off by her counts, but still, it was money. After that she went back to her little things. Robbing, then selling the things she stole. Eventually some gang person asked her to steal something for him. She got cash, he got what he needed. That's how her small-time career in the mob started. She was a thief for hire. She would get paid, and if it was small on cash, they would teach her something. To her, was amazing how much gang members knew, even if most of it was weaponry and marksmanship.

For a short time, she learned gymnastics, and she was good too. That was, until her gang instructor lost her life in a shoot-out in an apartment. That was where she saw Batman again. And his sidekick, Robin. It had to be a new kid, this one was young, and the other Robin had been a teen when he vanished. The Robin kid looked at her funny when she had noticed him, though his expression was hidden behind his mask. Probably pitied her, living like this. He and the Batman had come after her. She had fled, remembering last time she had seen the Caped Crusader.

Now she sat in the corner of some random gang meeting that she had gotten invited to. They were supposed to pay her, but she doubted they would. She expected a firefight, which is how most of these things ended.

"Ms. Williams, if you please." A tall man said. If she remembered correctly, his name was Salvatore Maroni. This, apparently, was a big league shindig.

Thorn scowled at the use of her name, but the way she saw it, it was alright, as long as there was cash. She perched on the edge of a metal chair like a cat.

"Whoever ran the security on that joint sucked," She put on her tough street urchin voice. Her dealing voice, "It was an easy in, easy out. Whatever was in those crates left with your men."

"Good. Here's your pay." He threw her a small wad of bills. She snatched them up, counting the edges. A total of two hundred and eighty-two dollars. It was cheap, but it was enough to live on. She slumped back into the shadows, waiting for the end of the meet. No one could leave until the end apparently. Not even a low-life street urchin like herself.

_Joy, _She thought to herself, playing with her little dagger, _Maybe I'll buy myself a cake today. I am fifteen now, anyway. And it's been a good day. I just wish Jason would show up. It's been almost a year. Well, at least there's no Batman._

_**CRASH**_

Thorn groaned to herself, _Irony, thy name be Gotham._

Batman stalked towards Maroni as Robin took out most of the other men. Guns started blazing. One bullet grazed the side of her skull, leaving a line of blood from the middle of her cheek to the bottom of her ear. Thorn yelped, and quickly retreated into the shadows as heads turned her way. The rest of the gang members were either shooting from defensive positions or out cold. Thorn didn't notice anyone behind her until she backed into them. Judging by the gun that was now pointed at her head, she could guess that this man was gang or mob, and most definitely not a friend. The person pushed her out of the shadows, using her a some form of shield or hostage.

"Let her go Maroni. She has nothing to do with you." Batman said coldly.

_Hostage. Most definitely, _Her brain told herself, _And you're being held by a very dangerous criminal. Worse than you in fact._

She had to hold back her laughter and resort to grinning slightly so she wouldn't get herself hurt. Then she realized she still had a gun to her head and her smile faded.

"Back off Batman. I will kill her, and you know it."

Thorn couldn't resist, "Well that just darkens my evening a bit now doesn't it?"

Maroni was startled, but kept the gun to her head. Obviously no one ever used that tone or said something like that when he held a gun to their head. Also, it apparently startled him enough to distract him from the batarang that flew his way, slamming into his gun-wielding hand. The gun clanked to the ground and Thorn decided, in her analytical mind, that this was a good idea to use a signature Thorn escape trick on him.

Her heel connected, and he released her, groaning from the pain in his groin. She silenced him with a kick to the head.

"That was just too damn easy. Where's the catch?" She placed her hands in her hips, fully proud of herself, staring at the Dynamic Duo with a cock-eyed grin.

Batman simply stared silently at her, and Robin looked at her funny, and took a step forward. He looked about to say something when Thorn's eyes focused behind him.

"Look out!" She pushed him out of the way, and the bullets meant for him lodged themselves into her chest and shoulder.

She collapsed, bleeding from the wounds. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Batman knock the man out, and come towards her. Robin got there first. As her vision faded and she lost consciousness, she heard him yelling at her.

"Thorn! Thorn! C'mon, stay with me! We have to get her out of here Bruce. She's hurt real bad."

She recognized the voice. It stayed in her mind as everything else faded into unconsciousness.

_Jason?

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**Sorry to all you big fans like me, but I wanted to make his training time short, and it had to be quick. Read and Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 is up! Finally! I realize it is obnoxiously short...again, and terrible...But, I'm sick and have writer's block...so there! Enjoy!

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**Chapter 4**

Thorn woke with a start. She sat up, looking around in shock. The room she was in was huge, with wood paneled walls, and a lush carpet. The four-poster bed was enormous, and had thick black blankets. A figure was asleep in the high-backed chair on one side of the bed. He was scruffy, and clean at the same time, but there was no doubt that it was Jason.

The teen hopped off the bed, faltering in a sudden burst of pain. She looked down, noticing she was wearing her jeans, and a guy's shirt. Her shirt lay on a dresser, clean, and apparently sewed up. Thorn stumbled over to the boy, leaning down next to him, and shaking him on the shoulder.

A small mumble came from the boy, "Not right now Alfred, it's Saturday."

"Well, at least he's real." She shook him harder, and he woke.

"Huh? Thorn! You're awake!" He shot up.

"Yeah, and you're not dead."

"Why would I be dead?"

"…Never mind."

He took a closer look at her, "You look like hell."

"Thanks for the observation."

"You're mad, aren't you?"

"You vanished on me! Of course I'm mad. And I apparently got shot too!"

"Obviously."

Thorn shot him a look before ranting for a few more minutes. She finally sat down when she ran out of air.

"Well, apparently your attitude, or your mouth, didn't get hurt. I kinda figured one would blow up after a while."

She swore colorfully at the teen just as an elderly man entered.

"Ah, Miss Williams. I see you're up."

"Um…..Who the hell are you?"

"I am Alfred. I am Master Bruce's butler."

"Okay… Well Al, you can call me Thorn. No one calls me that name anymore."

The man have her a small smile, and nodded. Another man entered behind him.

"Hey, I recognize you. You're Bruce Wayne." She glanced at Jason, then back at the other two, "So….Jason's been living with you for a year…?"

He nodded, "And now, from Jason's request, if you want to, you can as well."

She stared at him for a moment, then laughed, "You're joking right? I mean, why the hell _wouldn't _I?"

"She's got a point Bruce."

"Then it's settled."

Alfred gave the group another smile, "Breakfast will be ready soon. I expect that you all will be there?"

They nodded, and he left, with Bruce close behind him.

Jason slung an arm around the girl's shoulders, "Well then, we eat, and then I show you around."

"Don't think that being nice is gonna get you out of the fucking dog house. You are doomed."

"Sure I am." He didn't skip a beat, holding his constant absolute sarcasm in his tone, "But we'll save that for training. Now, I'm going to go eat."

"Training?"

Jason simply smiled, and raced out of the room, with Thorn chasing after him.


	5. Chapter 5

Hey everyone! OMG, yet another uber late chapter, but it just randomly struck me at... 12:30 AM. :/

I gotta sleep more.

Anyways, everything else, story wise, is still in work. Hope this explains some of the things from the last few chappies!

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**Chapter 5**

It had been months since Thorn had been a creature of the streets. According to Jason, the bullets had put her in a coma for roughly a month and a half, though bullets usually don't.

"Maybe your fragile little body couldn't cope with the lead." He had added teasingly before being punched in the face by a very angry 'fragile' fist.

Also according to him, he had argued with Bruce the entire time to let her live with them, and he'd given in, on the account that she'd wake, barely three days before she'd woken. Thorn was willing to bet he was killing himself for making that deal.

And the training Jason had been speaking about was training for living a normal life, and going back to school, neither of which she'd done since she was six. Gratefully, the orphanage, though slummy, had given her enough supplies to keep up with normal kids, as had a few store robberies. Apparently, damnation to Jason was having to help Alfred take her around the city to get books, supplies for the school year, which both of them had noted, didn't come for another three months, and clothes, since she had only one outfit. While she had refused to let Alfred get her into true girl's clothes, she did look neater, and it had been sweet revenge to keep the boy out 'shopping' for hours, then having to help her catch up, which she made purposefully, and immensely frustrating for him. All of that, and the punch for the bullet comment… Oh yes, it had been sweet.

Now it was the morning of the first day of school, and she lay asleep in the massive thing she called her bed.

The alarm went off, and filled the room with a trumpet call. Thorn threw her arm out at it, not reaching the snooze button, but instead knocking it off the dresser. She groaned, and put her head under her pillow. Alfred entered under twenty seconds later.

"Miss Thorn, I will never understand why you refuse to use a regular alarm, and instead use this noise which sounds like an army bearing down on one's head."

"Because it's the only thing that gets me up," She said, the reply slightly muffled by the pillow and the loud alarm, "Kill the Revelry, Alfred. It's giving me a headache."

He turned off the alarm, and placed it back on the dresser.

"Be downstairs in a few minutes, Miss Thorn."

"Mhm."

She removed the pillow from her head, and he left. Seconds later, she was back asleep.

"_Thorn…Thorn….."_

The voice cut through her sleep, but she ignored it.

Suddenly, icy water splashed onto Thorn's face. She sat up in shock, her eyes locking on to her attacker.

"First day of school today Thorn!" He raced out of the room, laughing.

"Jason! I'm going to kill you!" She jumped out of bed, chasing after the boy.

Jason slid down the banister, bucket in hand, and raced past Dick, whom Thorn had met a month or so previous, and who'd come to wish them a happy new school year, Bruce, and Alfred, with a soaking wet Thorn close behind.

"Run! She's on a murderous rampage!" The girl made a flying leap over the table, landing on the boy's back, and knocking him down, "Help!"

She looked up at Bruce, "Please Bruce, lemme kill him."

"School starts soon, and Alfred made you breakfast. Get off him. You can kill him later."

She nodded grudgingly, and removed herself from the boy's back, sitting at the table.

Half an hour later, they were standing at the door, ready for school. Jason raced out to the car.

Thorn, despite her usual toughness, stood stock still at the door, looking terrified.

Dick's hand suddenly appeared, messing up her hair.

"Hey!" She shoved his hand away, trying to fix the spikes.

"You'll be fine, Thorn. Lighten up. I'd take you myself if I didn't have to make it back to Blüdhaven."

"Thanks." She said, slightly sarcastically.

"Hey, look for my trophies while you're there. Try to beat a few, though I doubt you can."

She grinned up at the man, "Just you wait."

Then, she raced off to the car, the challenge set in her mind.

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Yes, Thorn needed a challenge to get her ass out the door, but hey, I've always had the same problem, even if it wasn't always school.

And Dick needed to get in here. I had a bit where they met, but it didn't mesh. More later, I suppose...

So, if you like, hit the magic little review button. If you didn't... THEN GET THE HELL AWAY FROM THE STORY YOU WEIRDOS!

...Sorry. XD


	6. Chapter 6

_Don't Kill Me Don't Kill Me Don't Kill Me._

The private school was beyond massive and Thorn felt decidedly awkward. Jason stood beside her, staring at the massive place. But he'd been here before. It didn't scare him. His arm slung around her shoulder.

"Hey, it's gonna be fine. Just make it through the day and it'll get easier."

"Thank you Mr. Inspirational Tape."

The fellow teen chuckled, "Barb's here somewhere too. Maybe you'll have a class with her."

Thorn shrugged. She'd met Barbara as well, and while she didn't mind her, they weren't exactly close. The arm released her.

"You're gonna be late. Get going."

She turned around to growl at him but he was gone. She sighed. One day she'd find out how he did that. How he just vanished without a trace. He never used to be able to.

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The class was frightening, to say the least. The teacher introduced her and the only thing that the redhead could think about was how she hadn't gone to school since she ran away from the orphanage. Moving to the only open seat which was thankfully in the back, she sat. The group of haughty looking females diagonal to her glanced and pointed and giggled. It was seriously all she could do to not hit one of them.

"Hey, just ignore them."

She turned. A boy sat to her, smiling. He caught her expression and extended a hand.

"Sorry, Lonnie Machin. Nice to meet you. And I was saying that you should just ignore them. They're idiots. I've met worms with higher levels of intelligence."

She grinned, "I suppose." She took the hand, "Thorn Williams."

"Thorn. Hm. Beautiful, dangerous, _spiky_."

She chuckled, "You flirting?"

"Attempting."

The teacher snapped at them and they shut up. He grinned at her and returned to the drawing he'd been working on. She smiled. Maybe she'd found a friend.

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Yeah it's been more than a year since I've updated but my life has been so screwed up recently and it's been straightening out so it's all good now.

And yeah I know it's short. Sorry.


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